Method and apparatus for threading a strip in motion into the clamp slot of a coiler

ABSTRACT

A process for threading a strip during motion into the clamp slot of a coiler drum which is accelerated after clamping of the strip front end. The loop formed in front of the drum is taken up in a controlled manner without shock by continuous comparison of the fed and wound strip length, according to which the coiler motor is switched from speed control to strip tension.

United States Patent Rudolf Wilhelm Speelmans Hilden, Germany 794,087 Jan. 27, 1969 Apr. 27, 1971 Moeller 8: Neumann Gmbll St. Ingbert (Saar) Germany Jan. 25, 1968 Germany [72] inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee Priority "ioir iiibflifibn mmjs roifinaib ni" STRIP IN MOTION INTO THE CLAMP SLOT OF A COILER 9 Claims, 1 Drawing Fig.

[52] US. Cl. 242/783 [51] lnt.Cl B2lc17/10 7'0 MOTOR I2 7 i i 7 7 l PRELIMINARY COMPARATOR [50] FieldofSearch 242/783, 78.1

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,587,517 2/1952 Paxson 242/783 3,248,317 5/1966 Kelly 242/78.1

Primary ExaminerNathan L. Mintz AttorneyJohn J. Dennemeyer ABSTRACT: A process for threading a strip during motion into the clamp slot of a coiler drum which is accelerated after clamping of the strip front end. The loop formed in front of the drum is taken up in a controlled manner without shock by continuous comparison of the fed and wound strip length, according to which the coiler motor is switched from speed control to strip tension.

CFIPARATOR CONNECTED DISTANCE CONTROL I 5 ADJUSTDR RING FOR MlETlllOlD .Nll) APPARATUS FOR THREADING A STRIP 1N MOTlOlw INTO THE CLAMP SLOT OF A COILER The present invention relates to an improved coiling or reeling method and apparatus for metal strip, particularly for inmotion or flying threading of the strip.

Winding coilers as used in rolling mills include clamp devices for clamping the starting end of the strip and thereafter winding on under tension, but in the usual arrangement the equipment preceding the winding coiler (for example roll frames, the delivery section of a strip manipulating plant and so on) must be stopped during the clamping operation. Further, the loop of material formed between the rolling or feeding machine and the winding coiler must be taken up by manual inching control. Only after completion of these operations can the winding coiler be set for strip tension control and the whole equipment raised to the working speed. It is also known for this purpose to check the loop and thereby to controllably speed up the plant for the purpose of obtaining a shock-free transfer to normal operating conditions. Since however the size of the loop only provides information as to the length of the strip contained in the loop if it is considered together with the loop shape, this method is not suitable for ensuring a shock-free transfer.

On the other hand a flying introduction of the strip on the coiling mandrel can be obtained by means of a belt winding device but such device is an additional expensive unit and can only be used for certain ranges of strip thicknesses.

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for threading a strip into the clamp slot of a winding coiler of a roll train or strip manipulating plant in which a loop formed in advance of the coiler during thethreading and clamping is assessed as to size and controllably taken up, after which the plant is raised tothe working speed. The aim is to improve the method by determining the strip length stored in a loop and in particular to determine the loop length more accurately and to permit flying threading. The distance-dependent determination of the loop length formed after the insertion of the starting end of the strip in the clamp slot offers maximum accuracy in the same way as the distance-dependent determination of the length of the strip wound on to the coiling mandrel.

I The loop so formed can be taken up without shock by comparison of a standard value with an actual value of the two precisely determined strip or distance lengths.

The advantage obtained by the application of this method consists in the fact that the plant preceding the winding coiler does not need to be stopped on introducing the strip, which means improved tolerance at the ends of the strip in the case for example of rolling mills and in the case of strip manipulating plants ensures a reduction in the changeover time for the coils or reels.

In plants for suitable strip thicknesses the method according to the invention replaces the belt collar. This means a substantial saving of space as well as a reduction in the equipment and maintenance costs.

As described above the clamp slot is intended to be closed by hand under visual control. The invention however also provides automation in this respect for which purpose the method is further developed. A preliminary signal proportional to the existing path length can be initiated by the cut of shears preceding the coiler, but it can also be controlled by a pressure signal derived from the pressure at the rolling gap or by a photocell if the strip is not to be severed and a gap at the strip front is not to be cropped.

The feed speed of the plant preceding the coiler is suitably method of the invention.

The invention further relates to apparatus for carrying out the method of the invention which will be further explained with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawing.

.At the delivery section of a strip manipulating plant the strip 1 coming from the left-hand side is fed over two controlled braking rollers 2, 3 and a guide roller 4 towards the coiling mandrel 5. A flying shears 6 is arranged in the path between the braking roller 3 and the guide roller 4. An entry table 7 is pivotally supported on the axis of the guide roller 4 between the latter and the coiling mandrel 5, table 7 being moved downwardly after the introduction of the strip. The loop 8 builds up initially in the upward direction. The braking roller 3 is driven by a motor 10 through a gear box 11 and the coiling mandrel 5 is driven by a motor 12 through a gear box 13. A

hydraulic rotary distributor 14 with an adjuster ring 15 is used restricted during the loop formation when carrying out the for operating the clamp slot in the coiling mandrel 5 and the adjuster ring 15 is shown in the full line position with the clamp slot closed and in the dotted line position with the clamp slot opened.

The device for in-motion or flying threading the strip according to the invention is shown diagrammatically in the form of a block circuit diagram. It embodies a first distance control 18 which is connected to the gear box 11 of the braking roller 3, a second distance control 19 which is connected to the gear box 13 of the coiler as well as a first comparator 20 which receives signals from the distance controls 18 and 19 by means of connections 21,22. The output of the comparator 20 is connected through the line 23 to a regulator, not shown, for the coiling motor 12.

The basic features of the invention can be understood with the device described if it is assumedthat on the introduction of the front end of the strip into the clamp slot of the coiling mandrel 5 the device is brought into operation by hand and the clamp slot closed manually. While from the moment of insertion onwards the strip 1 fed at the slow feed speed commences to form a loop 8 the distance control 18 produces a first signal proportional to the rotation of the guide roller 4 which is at the same time proportional to the strip length entering the loop 8, which is thus assessed on the basis of its path length.

As soon as the clamp slot is closed the coiler motor 12 is started so that the second distance control 19 emits a second signal which is proportional to the rotation of the coiling mandrel 5 and thus to the length of the strip which is coiled on to the mandrel. The two signals from the distance controls 18 and 19 are compared in the comparator 20. The coiler motor 12 is controlled in speed according to comparison of a standard value with the actual value within the comparator 20 until the two signals are equal. At this moment a pulse is emitted through the line 23 for switching over the regulation of the coiler motor 12 to strip tension. The equality of the signals from the distance controls 18 and 19 means that just that length of strip has been wound on to the coiling mandrel 5 which has travelled past the guide roller 4 into the loop 8 after the insertion of the front end of the strip into the clamp slot. Since the coiler motor initially rotates at a high speed corresponding to a large difference value in the comparator appliance 20 and then slows down according to the progressively falling difference in the signals the loop of material 8 is taken up completely without shock so that the changeover to strip tension also proceeds without shock. Then the whole plant can be increased to the normal working speed.

In order to start the first distance control 18 automatically at the moment of insertion of the front end of the strip into the clamp slot of the coiling mandrel 5 and also to close the clamp slot automatically, a second or preliminary comparator 25 is provided to which the signals from the first distance control 18 are passed through the line 26. An adjuster device 27 is associated with the preliminary comparator 25 for presetting a value which is proportional to the distance from the shears 6 to the clamp slot in the coiling mandrel 5. This value is introduced in to the comparator 25 through line 28. The output from the comparator 25 is connected through a line 29 to the hydraulic rotary distributor 14 for automatically closing the clamp slot after the leading end of the strip is in position.

The shears 6 is associated with a cutting indicator 30 which at the moment of making a cut produces a starting signal through the line 31 for the first distance control 18.

The method of operation of the device for the flying threading of the strip according to the invention is as follows.

In the arrangement shown the delivery section of a strip manipulating plant feeds the strip continuously to the coiling mandrel 5 at an idling speed after cutting by means of the shears 6. Since the first distance control 18 is started by the line 31 at the moment of cutting, the signal supplied from this control through the line 26 to the first stage comparator 25 corresponds to the strip length which has run past the shears 6. Since this signal is compared with the fixed value derived from the setting device 27 and proportional to the length between the shears 6 and the clamp slot, on attaining equality of the preliminary signal from the distance control 18 and the fixed value, the strip front end enters the clamp slot. The preliminary comparator 25 gives at this moment a pulse through the line 29 for closing the clamp slot.

When the clamp slot in the coiling mandrel 5 is closed and the adjuster ring is in the full line position, a contact 33 is closed which thus passes a signal pulse through the line 34 over the line 29 in order to ensure that the closed position of the clamp slot is held by means of the hydraulic rotary distributor 14 of the coiling mandrel 5.

Simultaneously with the closure of the clamp slot the preliminary comparator 25 gives a pulse to the first distance control 18 through the line 32 in order to connect in the comparator 20. Then the true distance-dependent determination of the length of strip in the loop 8 commences and the rotating coiling mandrel 5 effects the shock-free absorption of the loop in the manner already described.

Iclaim:

1. Method for threading strip material into a coil winder having a winder drive motor, comprising forming a loop of strip material in advance of the coil winder during the clamping of the leading end of the strip to the coil winder, determining the length of the strip fed towards the coil winder dependently on a distance measurement, such measurement being represented by a first signal corresponding to the length of the strip absorbed into the loop, driving the coil winder after clamping the leading end of the strip to said winder, producing a second signal dependent on the length of the strip being wound on the winder, comparing the two signals and utilizing the difference between such signals for regulating the speed of the winder drive motor until said signals become equal, and continuing the operation of the drive motor under the control of the strip tension after completion of the control of the drive motor when the said signals become equal.

2. Method for threading strip material into the clamp slot of a' coil winder for a rolling mill or other strip manipulating plant in which a loop formed in advance of the winder during the threading and clamping is determined as to size and the take up of the loop is controlled, after which the plant is raised to working speed, characterized in that flying threading of the winder is obtained by assessing the strip feed of the starting end of the strip entering the coil winder dependently on the movement of the strip entering the coil winder dependently on the movement by a first signal which corresponds to the length of the strip absorbed into the loop, that the length of the strip being wound on the coil winder after clamping the starting end of the strip and with the winder motor in operation is assessed dependently on the movement, and a second signal is produced corresponding to the length of strip wound on the winder, and that the two signals are compared with one another so that the loop controls the speed regulation of the winder motor by the comparison of a standard value and the actual value of the two signals and the motor is changed over for speed regulation by strip tension control when the signals are equal.

3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the feed of the starting end of the strip is determined dependently on a known length of the path preceding the coil winder and thereby producing a preliminary signal which corresponds to the feed of the leading end of the strip and that on equality of the preliminary signal with a value proportional to the fixed path length the coil winder is automatically clamped to the leading strip end after which the preliminary signal is cancelled and the said first signal is produced to control the takeup of the loop.

4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that the production of the preliminary signal is initiated by the cutting motion of shears arranged in front of the winder.

5. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the feed speed of the plant preceding the coil winder is restricted to an idling speed.

6. Apparatus for threading strip material into a coil winder, comprising strip feed means, means for driving a coil winder and for engaging the leading end of the strip to said coil winder, means to produce a first signal representing the length of the strip absorbed into a loop on the upstream side of the coil winder, means to produce a second signal representing the length of strip wound on the coil winder, means for comparing the two signals, and means for controlling the driving speed of the coil winder dependently on the difference between said signals and for continuing the drive of the coil winder after such signals have become equal in a manner dependently on the tension of the strip.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, comprising a first distance control connected to a braking roller drive for producing a first signal, a second distance control connected to the coil winder drive for producing a second signal and a first comparator for comparing the two signals, the difference value controlling the speed of a coil winder until equality of the signals in the comparator gives a control to the winder motor for changing over the strip tension control.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized by a device for producing a starting pulse for the first distance control on passage of the starting end of the strip through a point in advance of the coil winder at a known distance therefrom, and further including a preliminary comparator for comparing a preliminary signal representing the feed of the leading end of the strip, with a preset value proportional to the said known distance, which comparator produces a pulse for closing a clamp slot ofthe coil winder into engagement with the leading end of the strip and for connecting the first distance control to the first comparator when the preliminary signal is equal to the said preset value.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, characterized by a mechanically operated contact moved mechanically upon closure of the clamp slot, including an adjuster ring, which provides a circuit for maintaining the closed position of the clamp slot. 

1. Method for threading strip material into a coil winder having a winder drive motor, comprising forming a loop of strip material in advance of the coil winder during the clamping of the leading end of the strip to the coil winder, determining the length of the strip fed towards the coil winder dependently on a distance measurement, such measurement being represented by a first signal corresponding to the length of the strip absorbed into the loop, driving the coil winder after clamping the leading end of the strip to said winder, producing a second signal dependent on the length of the strip being wound on the winder, comparing the two signals and utilizing the difference between such signals for regulating the speed of the winder drive motor until said signals become equal, and continuing the operation of the drive motor under the control of the strip tension after completion of the control of the drive motor when the said signals become equal.
 2. Method for threading strip material into the clamp slot of a coil winder for a rolling mIll or other strip manipulating plant in which a loop formed in advance of the winder during the threading and clamping is determined as to size and the take up of the loop is controlled, after which the plant is raised to working speed, characterized in that flying threading of the winder is obtained by assessing the strip feed of the starting end of the strip entering the coil winder dependently on the movement of the strip entering the coil winder dependently on the movement by a first signal which corresponds to the length of the strip absorbed into the loop, that the length of the strip being wound on the coil winder after clamping the starting end of the strip and with the winder motor in operation is assessed dependently on the movement, and a second signal is produced corresponding to the length of strip wound on the winder, and that the two signals are compared with one another so that the loop controls the speed regulation of the winder motor by the comparison of a standard value and the actual value of the two signals and the motor is changed over for speed regulation by strip tension control when the signals are equal.
 3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the feed of the starting end of the strip is determined dependently on a known length of the path preceding the coil winder and thereby producing a preliminary signal which corresponds to the feed of the leading end of the strip and that on equality of the preliminary signal with a value proportional to the fixed path length the coil winder is automatically clamped to the leading strip end after which the preliminary signal is cancelled and the said first signal is produced to control the takeup of the loop.
 4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that the production of the preliminary signal is initiated by the cutting motion of shears arranged in front of the winder.
 5. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the feed speed of the plant preceding the coil winder is restricted to an idling speed.
 6. Apparatus for threading strip material into a coil winder, comprising strip feed means, means for driving a coil winder and for engaging the leading end of the strip to said coil winder, means to produce a first signal representing the length of the strip absorbed into a loop on the upstream side of the coil winder, means to produce a second signal representing the length of strip wound on the coil winder, means for comparing the two signals, and means for controlling the driving speed of the coil winder dependently on the difference between said signals and for continuing the drive of the coil winder after such signals have become equal in a manner dependently on the tension of the strip.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 6, comprising a first distance control connected to a braking roller drive for producing a first signal, a second distance control connected to the coil winder drive for producing a second signal and a first comparator for comparing the two signals, the difference value controlling the speed of a coil winder until equality of the signals in the comparator gives a control to the winder motor for changing over the strip tension control.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized by a device for producing a starting pulse for the first distance control on passage of the starting end of the strip through a point in advance of the coil winder at a known distance therefrom, and further including a preliminary comparator for comparing a preliminary signal representing the feed of the leading end of the strip, with a preset value proportional to the said known distance, which comparator produces a pulse for closing a clamp slot of the coil winder into engagement with the leading end of the strip and for connecting the first distance control to the first comparator when the preliminary signal is equal to the said preset value.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 8, characterized by a mechanically operated contact moved mechanically upon closure of thE clamp slot, including an adjuster ring, which provides a circuit for maintaining the closed position of the clamp slot. 